CORTINA STEALS THE NEC SHOW

Restored Cortina Savage bounces back from disaster at last year’s show to win the event’s flagship contest

Rob Sargent can actually say that his 1969 Ford Cortina Savage 3000E MkII beat a Ferrari after winning ‘Car of the Show’ at the 2009 NEC event ahead of a runner-up Ferrari 250 Europa. The Cortina had a severely rusted engine bay and tired appearance when Rob bought it 28 years ago, but he spent nine years carrying out a rolling resto on the car before deciding to give the car a thorough nut and bolt restoration to achieve a concours-winning finish. Regardless of its close-to-perfect condition, Rob decided to take it for a drive on the ‘Cortinas to Cortina’ tour to Italy in 2012 and it didn’t miss a beat. In terms of costs, £700 of fuel was all the car needed as, in Rob’s words, ‘It purred all the way home.’ On winning the 2018 award, Rob says: ‘I’m elated. I never thought I’d win in the face of such strong competition.’ Rob was invited back to Pride of Ownership after a disastrous 2017. Having trailered the car to the NEC, the winch gave way and propelled the Savage into the back of another car, denting the boot lid; Rob displayed it anyway. Rob’s work on the car achieved a multiple concours-winning finish that Savage creator, Jeff Uren, would have recognised. He says: ‘I think my car is the best left [of 35-40 cars known] because of its attention to detail. I describe it as “if built this morning”; it’s not over-restored.’ Having beaten a Ferrari at 2009’s event, Rob’s latest win will see the Savage on the display at the NEC’s entrance halls next March for the Practical Classics Restoration Show.